Dental articulator



(No Model.)

D.U M. BITCH. DENTAL ARTIGULATOR.

No. 530,524. Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

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i UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

DAVID M. HITCH, OF LAUREL, DELAWARE.

DENTAL ARTICU LATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters` Patent No. 530,524, dated December 11,1894.

Application filed April, 1894. SerialNaOBAGZ. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, DAVID M. HITOH, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Laurel, 1n the county of Sussex and State of Delaware, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dental Articulators, of which the following is a specication.`

This invention has for its object to improve and facilitate the use of dental articulators and render susceptible of a wider range of accurate adjustment that type of articulators wherein a pair of jaws or model holders are pivotally connected, and the upper jaw .is supported by a ball-and-socket joint.

The invention also has for its object to render the ball-andsocket joint of the upper jaw capable of forward and backward, or horizontal adjustment without varying the position of the joint relatively to the heel portion of the upper jaw supported thereby, whereby the joint for the vertical movement of the upper jawis constantly maintained in close juxtaposition to the heel of the model and at an unvarying distance therefrom, in such manner that while the ball-and-socket joint and the upper jaw or model-holder are adjustable horizontally in unison, the joint constantly lies quite near the heel of the model, whereby it is possible to conveniently compensate for, or remedy .the tilting of the wax base plate in obtaining the bite of the patient.

To accomplish the objects specified my invention consists in the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in whichj Figure 1 is a perspective View of a dental articulator constructed in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the same.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in ldetail, referring to the drawings, wherein-N The numerals 1 and 2 indicate the lower and upper jaws or m`odel-holders which are constructed as usual to\receive, support, and carry the casts or modelsuof the persons jaws. The lower jaw or base Vhis provided at the rear portions of its sides with `inclined standards or brackets 3 having rearwardlyprojecting approximately horizontal arms 4, and rigidly connected, near their upper ends, by aconnecting tie or cross-bar 5 having at its center a screw-threaded socket 6 with which engages a vertically arranged set-screw '7 having a suitable head 8 at its lower end by which to rotate it, and thus vertically adjust the same in the screw-socket 6.

To the extremities of the arms 4 are pivoted rearwardly projecting arms 9 of a boxing 10, through which extends the shank of two cu ps 12, which constitute aball socket. The shank of the cups is composed of two flat plates or bars 13 and 14, arranged one upon the other, and both adapted to slide lengthwise through the boxing 10,.for the purpose of adjusting the ballsocket forward or backward, or horizontally.

The heel portion of the upper jaw or model carrier 2 is provided with a centrally arranged ball 15, fitting the cups 12, and adapted to rotate between the same, in such manner that the upper jaw or model carrier can be adjusted in any direction whatever. The ball 15 can be rigidly clamped by the cups 12 to hold the upper jaw or model-holder in a fixed position relatively to the cups through the medium of a set-screw 16 .which passes loosely through the shank section or plate 13, and engages a screw-threaded orifice in the shank section or plate14 at a point between the boxing 10 and the cups 12, so that by turning the set-screw in the proper direction the ball 15 will be gripped or released. The set-screw is in close juxtaposition to the cups, so that it will not interfere withthe adjustment of the cups quite near to the boxing. The top wall o f the boxing is provided with a screw-threaded socket, through which extends a Set screw 17,which, at its inner end, bears against the upper shank section or plate 13, whereby the two shank sections or plates can be rigidly clamped together, and also clamped in a fixed position in the boxing, for the purpose of holding the ball-and-socket joints 12 and 15 in the position to which adjusted.

The arms 9 of the boxing are preferably pivoted to the arms 4 through the medium of a through-pivot pin 18 mounted in the arms 4 and engaging the arms 9, and this pivot- IOC ticle.

The pivoted swinging boxing 10 is adapted to rest against the upper end of the set-screw 7, and obviously the elevation of the boxing, and, consequently of the upper jaw or modelholder 2, can be varied to suit the conditions required, by the proper adjustment of the set-screw.

The set-screws 7 and 17 are preferably provided with ordinary lock nuts for securing them in the position to which adjusted.

In my improved construction the ball 15 is directly at the heel of the upperjaw or modelholder 2, and this ball engages a ball-socket carried by a lengthwise adjustable shank composed, as here shown, of two superimposed sections or plates, whereby the balland-socket joint can be adjusted forward or backward, or horizontally without in any manner changing the relative position of the joint to the heel of the upper jaw or modelcarrier. This isa very desirable and important feature of my invention and avoids or remedies defects which exist in prior articulators having a ball-and-socket-joint.

The pivotal connection of the arms 9, with the arms 4, enables the biting movement of the human jaws to be closely imitated, as in ordinary articulators; while the horizontally adjustable ball-and-socket joint secures the wide range of adjustment of the upper jaW or model-holder which enables the dentist to meet every possible condition likely to arise in manufacturing sets of artificial teeth.

The tie or cross-bar 5 rigidly connects the standards of brackets 3, and thereby braces and strengthens the same, while at the same time the tie or cross-bar carries the set-screw 7, which secures the elevation or depression of the boxing to vary the elevation of the upper jaw or model-holder.

In makin g artificial teeth, the plaster model is covered with a base plate of wax on which is placed a rim of wax directly over the ridge. The patient bites on the Wax base plate and rim, and if the lower front teeth rst touch the wax rim, the heel of the wax base plate is tilted, and I can readily compensate for this, or remedy the same, by having the ball joint directly at the heel of the upper jaw or modelholder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- I. The combination in a dental articulator, of the lower jaw or model-holder having standards provided with a connecting tie-bar, a setscrew extending through said tie-bar, a yoke pivoted to the standards, supported by the upper end of the set-screw and having a central boxing, a pair of cups forming a ballsocket, and having a shank adjustable lengthwise in the boxing, an upper jaw or modelholder having a ball in close juxtaposition to its heel portion and fitting between said cups, and a set-screw passing through the shank of the cups to clamp them on the ball, whereby the ball and socket are adjustable to and fro without varying their relative position with respect to the heel of the upper jaw or modelholder, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a dental articulator, of a lower jaw or model-holder having standards or brackets provided with rearwardly projecting arms, a boxing having side arms pivoted to said rearwardly projecting arms, a pair of superimposed shank sections or plates adjustable lengthwise in the boxing and provided at one end with cups forming a ball-socket, an upper jaw or model-holder having a ball in close juxtaposition to its heel portion and fitting between said cups, a set screw for supporting the boxing at different heights, a set-screw for rigidly clamping the two shank sections together and to the boxing, and a set-screw for clamping the cups on theball, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and aiiixed my seal in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID M. HITCH. [L. s]

Witnesses:

EMoRY B. RIGGIN, JOHN H. ELLIOTT. 

